this is syria. it's not easy. it's very complicated, very difficult country to govern if you don't have the public support. >> reporter: what do you this is the biggest misconception that my country has of what's happening here, if, indeed, there is a misconception. >> we don't kill our people no government in the world kill its people unless it's led by crazy person. for me, as president, i became president because of the public support. it's impossible for anyone in this state, to give order to kill. >> barbara walters, the only american journalist to sit down with him. i asked about this earlier. what do you make of what's going on in the mind of this man? >> reporter: well, there's such a disconnect. people are being tortured, he says we're being duped. people are being killed, he says he didn't order it, the government did. but he's the president. so, it's very hard to understand, does he really believe this? he says that it is not on the brink of a civil war. he says it was the support of his people. he's no